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Trolls, owls, surfers and giants too – the picture book characters created by Bristol-based artist Tom Bonson are brimming with life, colour and often a bit of light hearted humour. As well as writing and illustrating children’s stories, Tom has also seen his work brought to life in animated apps, and his unique style keeps audiences coming back for more.

With parents who were also illustrators, Tom comes from a very creative family that he credits for much of his inspiration. “My mum religiously playing Simon and Garfunkel when driving to the zoo, my dad who would regale me with bite-size versions of Dickens novels,” he explains.

But they also taught him to see both detail and the bigger picture, something that’s always manifest in his illustrations.

Today he takes inspiration from his home city of Bristol, where he plays guitar in a band and doesn’t mind the rain.

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Tom Bonson

Overview

Trolls, owls, surfers and giants too – the picture book characters created by Bristol-based artist Tom Bonson are brimming with life, colour and often a bit of light hearted humour. As well as writing and illustrating children’s stories, Tom has also seen his work brought to life in animated apps, and his unique style keeps audiences coming back for more.

With parents who were also illustrators, Tom comes from a very creative family that he credits for much of his inspiration. “My mum religiously playing Simon and Garfunkel when driving to the zoo, my dad who would regale me with bite-size versions of Dickens novels,” he explains.

But they also taught him to see both detail and the bigger picture, something that’s always manifest in his illustrations.

Today he takes inspiration from his home city of Bristol, where he plays guitar in a band and doesn’t mind the rain.

Training

After two years of Fine Art at Norfolk College, Tom completed an Illustration degree at Lincoln University.

Approach

Beginning with a rough composition in Photoshop, Tom traces the image onto paper and then renders it fully in pencils. The pencil drawing is scanned back into Photoshop where all the colour is added.

Style

Tom loves to create worlds that viewers can get lost in, with colourful characters and little hints of detail that draw you in. Humour – usually ridiculous and light hearted – plays a big role in his style as well.

Client List

Pearson

Oxford University Press

Sunday Times

National Wildlife Federation

Barrington Stokes

Accord Publishing

Dinardo Design

Glottogon

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